


Sea Salt and a First Kiss

by Daphnean



Series: Soo Saptember [16]
Category: EXO (Band), f(x)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Aquariums, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 01:23:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16007354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daphnean/pseuds/Daphnean
Summary: Kyungsoo suggested the aquarium for their first date and Sunyoung couldn't be happier.





	Sea Salt and a First Kiss

The small plaza outside of the aquarium was still fairly quiet this early in the morning. There was a vendor selling coffee just a few feet away, the scent carrying over and tempting her to buy a cup. Seeing as she was still a touch nervous, Sunyoung decided against it and instead peered into one of the shop windows (a candy store, still closed) to make sure her hair and outfit still looked presentable for her date.

She’d chosen to gather some of her honey brown hair back, although she’d left most of it down where it brushed just below her shoulders. The debate between wearing a dress or not had taken up a great deal of her morning, various outfits spread out over her bed as she tried to decide. Eventually she chose a rich navy dress that flowed out at her hips, just reaching her knees. As it was a little chilly, she paired it with a long sleeved yellow cardigan. Black flats and a matching choker finished off her look. Cute, but not too done up for a first date.

Approving of her appearance, she turned from the window just in time to see Kyungsoo descending the stairs towards her. Her smile bloomed instantly as she drank him in. He’d chosen dark gray pants, tight against his legs and a pastel blue button down with the sleeves rolled to the elbows (a nice touch, as it showcased his lower arms and hands). Mentally she had to pat him on the back for the thick rimmed glasses too, as they suited him. She could see the effort he put into styling his hair and as he drew closer, she saw something in his hands too although she couldn’t make it out just yet.

“You look wonderful, Kyungsoo.” She stepped closer, as he reached the base of the stairs. “This was such a fun idea for a date.”

Kyungsoo pressed a delicate, barely there kiss to her cheek. “I was nervous, if I’m honest. I still am, but it sounded like something different. You look absolutely stunning.”

Seeing as Kyungsoo was a gentleman at work, she expected nothing less from him now. The rest of the design department had lost their minds once she confessed that Kyungsoo had asked her out. Amber had given her a high five, relatively calmer than the rest, but Baekhyun and Chanyeol both had nearly fell from their chairs, scrambling to ask her for details as they made their way downstairs for lunch.

They’d been skirting around their affection for each other every since the Christmas party last year, when they ended up talking for nearly the entire affair solely to each other. Kyungsoo was up in accounting, but he often was down on the design floor haunting Chanyeol and Baekhyun for their paperwork (as the two were notorious at forgetting it until the last moment), so it wasn’t as if they were strangers. Sunyoung had always found him handsome, when he’d give her a smile on his way back upstairs, but when their conversation came together so easily, she had wondered if maybe there was a chance for more than just a spark.

“I would have brought flowers,” Kyungsoo confessed, hand moving to the back of his neck, where it looked like he was resisting every urge not to muss with his hair. “I just didn’t think they’d be fun to carry around the whole aquarium. So I tried something different instead. You always have those cute charms on your purse and that you love dogs, so...”

Kyungsoo dangled the tiny, stylized dachshund key chain from his fingers. “I’ll save flowers for our next date, if you’ll have me.”

Already, Sunyoung was wholly, completely charmed. She only had two others on her purse at the moment (a cute-faced strawberry and her lucky pizza slice), so she quickly added the new key chain alongside them. “Are you sure I didn’t make you up? That’s so sweet, Soo. Thank you.”

“I don’t think I’m fictional, but then again, I don’t think most fictional people know they are...” He trailed off, brows knitting as he seemed to mull over the question, before finally shaking his head and turning his attention back to her. After a moment, he offered his arm. “I think it’s too early for me to be this existential. Are you ready to go inside?”

Kyungsoo led them to the window, paying for them both. Sunyoung let his hand go so he could pay, a pleased jump in her stomach when he also moved to open the door for her.

Once inside, there was an otherworldly glow around them in way the water played against the walls and ceiling of the building. Her nerves, caught like butterfly wings in her chest, seemed to flutter off at the tranquility of their surroundings.

She linked their fingers as they approached the first tank, colorful fish darting about in the water. Soft music was playing and even though she wasn’t sure if the fish could hear it, some of them almost seemed to be dancing along. While she considered saying something to her date, the ambiance almost made her want to remain silent, as not to break it.

“I definitely think this was a great idea.” Kyungsoo leaned closer to the glass, chuckling as two fish seemed to move closer to inspect him.

Sunyoung squeezed his hand, admiring him over the fish. “I think so too.”

It was early, for a weekend, so there weren’t too many others in the aquarium yet. A group of girls were laughing together, sharing stories as they cooed at the fish. There was only one other group of guests, a family with a couple of toddlers who seemed to want to go everywhere but towards the tanks, nearly tripping them up. The mother looked back at them, apologetic as she scooped up her children, but Kyungsoo gave her a winning smile, Sunyoung doing the same, and she seemed to ease the slightest bit.

One of the next tanks had frogs in it, colorful with big eyes, and Sunyoung grinned. “I think those two are Chanyeol and Baekhyun, yeah?”

“Oh not at all.” Kyungsoo gave a frown. “They have their mouths closed. I don’t know if those two have that ability.”

Sunyoung laughed, covering her mouth with her hand not intertwined with Kyungsoo’s. “Now I know they’re your best friends.”

“They really are. I guarantee you my phone is nearly overloaded with “fighting” and “don’t screw it up, Do” texts from them.” Kyungsoo’s expression was so pleasant, when talking about his friends now.

Sunyoung tugged him towards the turtles next. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

Kyungsoo laughed, letting her lead the way. “It’s hardly a secret. I don’t have time for those.”

“So what was your crush on me then? Obvious?” She stopped in front of the next enclosure, taking in the one turtle still preening towards the tank lights, perched atop a log.

She could see Kyungsoo’s reflection in the tank and how pink his cheeks had gotten. “If you would have asked, I would have told you, so it wasn’t a secret. I was just...building up the nerve.”

“I forgive you, then.” Sunyoung squeezed his hand. “I could have said something too. Amber teased me about it, so mad I’d missed the mistletoe she set up.”

Kyungsoo laughed again, a bit sharper this time. “Ah, but it got Baekhyun and Jongdae instead...so it was well worth her efforts. I still have the picture on my phone, as evidence.”

“You mean blackmail?” Sunyoung teased.

With a shrug, Kyungsoo responded with a grin, “If it comes to that.”

–

By the time they’d reached the final stretch of the aquarium, Sunyoung was already wishing for the morning to move a little slower. Time with Kyungsoo seemed to go by so quickly, so smoothly that she had hardly paid attention to the clock until one of the other museum goers mentioned it in passing. Already an hour and half into their date and Sunyoung wanted another.

She’d learned Kyungsoo had an older brother too, that he also loved dogs, and that he had pursued music in school, till he discovered that he didn’t want his passion to become something he had to pay the bills with. With each passing moment, the man grew more handsome and more dimensional before her. Usually people seemed to dull with reality, but Kyungsoo only seemed better for it.

The last portion of the aquarium was a large tunnel through the biggest tank, so that the sharks and other fish could swim overhead. Once inside, Sunyoung glanced down at the their hands, over at her date as the cool light blanketed them, rippling as the water above them did.

Kyungsoo must have had the same idea, his gaze on her face. The softness in his eyes, how they crinkled near the edges, had her heart tripping briefly, forgetting to beat. Her breath was caught in her chest, stolen away by Kyungsoo’s wordless admiration.

Eventually, she had to look away, look out at one of the sharks, slowly gliding past them. A manta ray delicately cut through the water, shadowing them as it swam over. Neither of them seemed to want to break the silence, taking their time through the tunnel to stop at each new vantage point, hands still linked.

She could see the light at the end of the tunnel, literally, as Kyungsoo squeezed her hand. “Would you like to...do this again, sometime? I was going to wait until after lunch to ask, but...I’m sure now.”

Sunyoung turned to face him, encouraged by his confession. “Maybe next time we could cook together? Have a movie night in?”

“I’d love that.” Kyungsoo looked both directions before stepping closer towards her. “Is it a little cheesy of me to want our first kiss here? If you’d be all right with that too?”

Sunyoung laughed, soft and bright, her other hand moving to his chest. “Absolutely the sappiest thing, but please do.”

Warm fingers found her jaw and soft lips met her own. Her eyes instinctively fell closed as their lips brushed, as her heart lept to her throat and stayed there. Kyungsoo didn’t push their kiss, but he did let it linger, only pulling away as they heard children giggling just beyond the curve in the tunnel.

“Come on, Soo.” Sunyoung snuck one last kiss to the corner of his mouth, before tugging him out. “I wonder if I can get you into a penguin t-shirt at the gift shop.”

Kyungsoo kept up with her, gaze a little more clouded, dreamier than before. “I’m already wrapped around your fingers, Sun. Go easy on me, maybe?”

“No pictures, I promise.” She crossed her fingers behind her back. Maybe one, just for herself.

**Author's Note:**

> Time for one of my favorite Kinktober ships to reemerge! I still adore LunaSoo and I would love for my first date with Kyungsoo to be at an aquarium. They just are too precious together though; I think Sunyoung would be really good for him.
> 
> EXO and all other Kpop entertainers presented here are real people and so I remind you that this is just a fic, like a play with their stage personas as the actors. This is not intended to be a representation of who these men and women are or are not. Remember to love and respect them always. And thanks for reading! <3


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